Method of clearing deposited material from hard surfaced roadways



March 2 2, 1960 R. A. COCHRANE METHOD OF CLEARING DEPOSITED MATERIAL FRO HARD SURFACED ROADWAYS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 13. 1955 March 22, 1960 R. A. COCHRANE 2,929,749

METHOD OF CLEARING DEPOSITED MATERIAL FROM HARD SURFACED ROADWAYS Filed Sept. 13. 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

INVEN TOR. REUEL A-COCHRANE ATTORNEYS Mach 22, 196% R A. COCHRANE- METHOD OF CLEA RING DEPOSITED MATERIAL FROM HARD SURFACED ROADWAYS Filed Sept. 13. 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 s 4 '28 Si 3 S 4 INVENTOR.

RE E Aiccmzaue ATTO IZN E\S March 22, 1950 R. A. COCHRANE 2,2934

METHOD OF CLEARING DEPOSITED MATERIAL FROM HARD SURFACED ROADWAYS Filed Sept. 13 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Renal. A.Qy: cuan.ue

nited States Patent METHOD OF CLEARING DEPOSITED MATERIAL FROM HARD SURFACED ROADWAYS Reuel A. Cochrane, Chilesburg, Va., assignor of one-half to The Gamble Company, Inc., Fairmont, Mmn., a corporation of Minnesota Application September 13, 1955, Serial No. 534,014

4 Claims. (Cl. 134-6) This invention relates to a method of clearing deposited material from hard surface roadways and apparatus therefor, and more particularly from such roadways which have a wide expanse of unobstructed ground surface on opposite sides thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of clearing deposited material from a hard surfaced roadway which enables the projection of such ma terial beyond one side of the roadway and deposition of same in a compact unobstructing mass over a wide area of the ground surface adjacent such one roadway side.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of clearing deposited material from a hard surfaced roadway which converts the deposited material into particles of liftable form and deposit such particles in a compact unobstructing mass over a wide area of the ground surface adjacent one of the sides of the roadway.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of clearing deposited material from a hard surfaced roadway which is highly efiicient in action and commercially practical.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a runway and its associated lights being cleared of material which has been deposited thereon by the method of the present invention, the full line showing illustrating the apparatus forming a part of the invention for carrying out such method in operation on one-half of the runway with a part of such runway and the associated light already freed of the deposited material and the dashed line showing illustrating such apparatus turned in the opposite direction for clearing the deposited material from the other half of the runway and its associated lights.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic elevational view of the runway of Figure 1, with parts in section and viewed in the direction of the arrows indicated by the letter A on such figure, illustrating the cleared portion of the runway and its associated light with the removed material projected beyond the cleared light and deposited in the form of a compact mass distributed over a wide area of the ground surface beyond the cleared light with air blast means located in the direction for clearing the one-half of the runway and associated light,

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the apparatus positioned in Figure 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow B of such figure,

Figure 4 is a plan view of the assembly of Figure 3, with the towing vehicle and part of its towing means omitted,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 5,

ice

Figure -7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 7--7 of Figure 3,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 3,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view of the assembly of Figure 3 with the addition of a lifting force applying means mounted in cooperative relation with the fracturing means together with a portion of the air blast means,

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on the ilne 10-10 of Figure 9, and

Figure 11 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of Figure 9 propelled by a pushing vehicle.

In carrying out the method of clearing deposited material from a hard surfaced roadway such as an airport runway designated in Figures 1 and 2 by the reference numeral 10, the apparatus of the present invention, designated by the reference numeral 11, is towed by a vehicle such as a tractor 12, shown in Figure 1 and partially in Figure 3. The deposited material on a portion of the runway 10 inwardly of one of the runway sides is first progressively subjected to a fracturing operation to separate the deposited material into liftable form. This deposited material may be snow, mud, gravel, sand, dust, rocks, metal, or wood fragments, or any other material or combination of materials and is indicated by the reference numeral 13 in Figures 1 and 2. This is accomplished by the assembly of resilient tines indicated by the reference numeral 14 which is dependingly connected to the frame 15 of the apparatus 11 intermediate the ends of the frame 15 for upward and downward movement into and out of engagement with the surface of the runway 11). As the apparatus 11 is towed over the runway or portion of the runway the deposited material 13 is fractured and separated by the tines 16 of the tine assembly 14 and is broken up into smaller particles which are liftable. There .is an unobstructed ground surface adjacent each side of the runway 10.

An air blast is next directed upon the separated particles of the deposited material in a direction transverse of the runway 10 and toward the unobstructed ground surface adjacent the one runway side the air blast being of such intensity as to project the particles beyond the one runway side and deposit the same in a compact unobstructing mass distributed over a wide area of the ground surface adjacent the one runway side. This air blast is created by an air blast generating means indicated generally by the reference numeral 17 positioned in tandem spaced relation with respect to the tine assembly 14 which constitutes the deposited material fracturing means. Specifically, the air blast generating means 17 comprises a propeller 18 mounted upon the frame 15 of the apparatus 11 for swinging transverse movement from a direction facing away from the one side of the frame 15 and downwardly, and beyond said one frame side to a direction facing away from the other side of the frame and downwardly and beyond the other frame side. The propeller 13 is carried on one side of a shaft 19 which extends transversely of the frame 15 and is rotatably supported in the housing 21, the other end of the shaft 19 having a gear 22 mounted thereon and in 'mesh with a drive gear 23 which is fixed to the one end of the drive shaft 24 of an engine 25. A semicircular channel member 26 extends upwardly and faces outwardly between the frame side members 27 and 28- and supports aportion of a chain 29, as seen in Figures 4 to 6, inclusive. An arm 31 projects from one side of the housing 21 and has a U-shaped clevis 32 fixedly secured to its free end and pivotally connected to one link of the chain 29 as seen in Figure 6. The chain 29 runs over a sprocket wheel. 33 on one end of a horizontally 13 disposed shaft 34 rotatably and dependingly supported under the frame 15. The other end of the shaft 34 has fixedly secured thereto a ratchet wheel 35 and crank 36. A pair of pawls 37 and- 38 are selectively engageable with the ratchet wheel 35 tohold the wheel 35 and shaft 34 in any selected position of rotation. A crank 36 on the shaft 34 forms the means for effecting the swinging transverse movement of the air blast generating means 17 from a direction facingaway from one side of the frame 15 and downwardly and beyond the one side of the frame to a direction facing away from the other side of the frame 15 and downwardly and beyond the other side of the frame for projecting and depositing the particles of the deposited material in a compact and unobstructing mass distributed'over a wide area of the ground surface adjacent the sides of the runway 10.

A circular frame 39 having a mesh 41 is supported by braces 42 athxed to the housing 21 and forms a shield for the propeller 18. A plurality of upstanding tines 16 which form the tine assembly 14 are arranged in transverse spaced alignment and are positioned transversely of and below the frame 15 of the apparatus 11 on the lower end of a pair of housings 43. A crank 44 projecting outwardly from the frame side member 27 is used to manually raise and lower the tine assembly 14. At one end of the frame 15 is a pair of supporting wheels 45 and 46 mounted below the frame 15 on legs 47 and 48, respectively, and at the other end of the frame 15 is another pair of wheels 49 and 51 each mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis upon an arm 52 and 53, respectively, so that they caster and permit the apparatus to be tractively towed by the tractor 12. A hitch or coupling element 54 is pivotally connected to the frame side members 27 and 28 at one end of the frame 15 and is adapted to be connected to the tractor 12 by a clevis 55 secured to the tractor drawbar 56.

A housing 57 surrounds and supports the drive shaft 24 and supports the one end of the housing 21 in which are the gears 22 and 23 for rotation from the position in which the propeller 18 is on the one side of the frame 15 adjacent the frame side member 28 and is shown in full lines in Figures 3 to 6, inclusive, to the dotted line positions shown in Figure 5.

As the tractor 12 tows the apparatus 11 of the present invention over a portion of the runway 16 which has a wide expanse of unobstructed ground surface on opposite sides thereof adjacent the runway lights 58, the tines 16 progressively subject the deposited material 13 to a multitude of fracturing operations to form liftable particles of the deposited material and the propeller 18 causes an air blast to lift the particles continuously as the particles are being formed to project the particles of deposited material beyond the runway 10, clearing the lights 58, and deposit the material in a compact unobstructed mass distributed over a wide area of the ground surface adjacent the side of the runway, the latter being indicated by the reference numeral 59 in Figure 2.

It is to be noted that the engine 25 may have a power range extending fromSO horsepower to 4060 horsepower.

Although the method and apparatus above described includes the combination of a fracturing operation step or means with an air blast generating step or means, it has been found to be desirable to associate a lifting force applying means contiguous to the fracturing operation means rearwardly of and spaced from the fracturing means, such lifting force applying means resulting in the suspension of the liftable particles above the runway whereupon the suspended liftable particles are with facility picked up by the following air blast generating step. Preferably, this lifting force applying step is elfected simultaneously with the fracturing operation step.'. By reference to Figures 9 and 10, it will be seen that the apparatus for applying the lifting force embodies a horizontally-disposed pipe 61 having a plurality of openings 62 arranged in spaced relation therealong and (5 4 extending in a direction parallel to the tines of the tine assembly 14. The pipe 61 is attached intermediate its ends to the lower ends of a pair of bars 63 the upper ends of which are fastened to the frame of the apparatus 11'. The pipe 61 is arranged transversely of the apparatus 11' in tandem spaced relation with respect to the tines of the tine assembly 14, and the air blast generating means 17 is positioned in tandem spaced relation with respect to the pipe 61. An air compressor 64 is mounted upon the frame of the apparatus 11 beside the engine 25' and is operatively connected to the latter for supplying air under high pressure through a conduit 65 to the pipe 61. Air issuing under high pressure from the openings 22 in the pipe 61 effects the lifting and the suspension of the deposited material above the runway 10 so that the liftable particles are with facility picked up by the air blast generating means 17' and are deposited by the blast of air over a wide area of the ground surface adjacent the side of the runway.

Referring to Figure 11, it will be seen that the apparatus of the present invention, designated by the reference numeral 70, may be mounted upon the forward end of a pushing truck 66 so that the deposited material upon the runways is not compacted by the wheels of the truck 66, and that the apparatus includes a cab 67 for the operator of the truck 66 mounted upon the for Ward end of a frame 69 carried by the truck 66, a fracturing operation means embodying a tine assembly 71 positioned below the frame 79 intermediate its ends and dependingly carried by the frame 69 for fracturing and separating the deposited material upon the runway and a lifting force applying means embodying a horizontallydisposed pipe 72 having a plurality of openings arranged in spaced relation .and'extending in a direction parallel to the tines of the tine assembly 71. The pipe 72 is positioned rearwardly of and spaced from the tine assembly 71 and effects the suspension of the liftable particles fractured and separated by the tines of the time assembly 71. The pipe is carried on the lower'ends of struts 73 carried by the frame 69.. An air blast generating means embodying a blower 74 is positioned in tandem spaced relation with respect to the pipe 72 and includes a propeller 75 driven by either a' separate engine or a power source within the truck 66 for causing an air blast to lift the liftable particles continuously as the particles are being formed to project the particles of deposited material beyond the runway 10 and deposit the material in a compact unobstructed mass distributed over a wide area of the ground surface adjacent the side of the runway. The' pipe 72 is supplied with air under high pressure from a compressor means (not shown) within the truck 66.

Each of the apparatus shown in Figures 9 and 10, and in Figure 11, employ the same means for driving their respective propellers, the same means for directing the air blast created thereby, and the same means for raising and lowering the tine assembly as the apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 8, inclusive, and hereinabove described.

The method of clearing deposited material such as snow, dirt, and debris of all kinds from an airport runway according to the method of the present invention and using the apparatus herein described also may be used to clear roadways, airport aprons, taxi ways, and other areas which have a wide expanse of unobstructed ground surface at least on one side thereof. The method and apparatus of the present invention may be used in areas of heavy snowfall or may be used where sand is blown by the wind to form dunes. Other uses may be made of the apparatus and method of the present invention such as clearing a runway of sticks, bolts, and other elongated articles, the tine assembly of the apparatus serving to turn such articles so that the following blast of air catches each article broadside in such a manner as to lift it and blow it to a place adjacent the runway side edge,

What is claimed is:

1. The method of clearing deposited material from a hard surfaced roadway having a wide expanse of unobstructed ground surface on opposite sides thereof which comprises causing the deposited material on said roadway to be progressively subjected to a fracturing operation to separate the deposited material into particles of liftable form, and simultaneously applying a lifting force to the liftable particles to suspend same above said roadway, and directing an air blast upon said suspended particles in a direction transverse of said roadway and toward the unobstructed ground surface adjacent one of the sides of said roadway and of such intensity as to project said particles beyond said one roadway side and deposit same in a compact unobstructing mass distributed over a wide area of the ground surface adjacent said one roadway side.

2. The method of clearing deposited material from.

a hard surfaced roadway having a wide expanse of unobstructed ground surface on opposite sides thereof which comprises causing the deposited material on said roadway to be progressively subjected to a fracturing operation to separate the deposited material into particles of liftable form and simultaneously applying a lifting force to the liftable particles to suspend same above said roadway, and continuously as said particles are suspended above said roadway directing an air blast upon said particles in a direction transversely of said roadway and toward the unobstructed ground surface adjacent one of the sides of said roadway and of such intensity as to project said particles beyond said one ro'adway side and deposit same in a compact unobstructing mass distributed over a wide area of the ground surface adjacent said roadway side. a

3. The method of clearing deposited material from a hard surfaced roadway having a wide expanse of unobstructed ground surface on opposite sides thereof which comprises causing the deposited material on a portion of said roadway inwardly of one of its sides to be progressively subjected to a fracturing operation extending over the region of said portion to separate the deposited 8 material into particles of liftable form and simultaneously applying a'lifting force to the liftable particles to suspend same above said roadway, and directing an air blast upon said suspended particles in a direction transverse of said roadway and toward the unobstructed ground surface adjacent said one roadway side and of such intensity as to project said particles beyond said one roadway side and deposit same in a compact unobstructing mass distributed over a wide area of the ground surface adjacent said one roadway side.

4. The method of clearing deposited material from a hard surfaced roadway having a wide expanse of unobstructed ground surface on opposite sides thereof which comprises causing the deposited material on a portion of said roadway inwardly of one of its sides to be progressively subjected to a multitude of fracturing operations extending over the region of said portion to separate the deposited materials into particles of liftable form and simultaneously applying a lifting force to the liftable particles to suspend same above said roadway,'and continuously as said particles are suspended above said roadway directing an air blast over said particles in a direction transverse of said roadway and toward the uno"o structed ground surface adjacent said one roadway side and of such intensity as to project said particles beyond said one roadway side and deposit same in a compact,

unobstructing mass distributed over a wide area of the ground surface adjacent said one roadway side.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. THE METHOD OF CLEARING DEPOSITED MATERIAL FROM A HARD SURFACED ROADWAY HAVING A WIDE EXPANSE OF UNOBSTRUCTED GROUND SURFACE ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF WHICH COMPRISES CAUSING THE DEPOSITED MATERIAL ON SAID ROADWAY TO BE PROGRESSIVELY SUBJECTED TO A FRACTURING OPERATION TO SEPARATE THE DEPOSITED MATERIAL INTO PARTICLES OF LIFTABLE FORM, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLYING A LIFTING FORCE TO THE LIFTABLE PARTICLES TO SUSPEND SAME ABOUT SAID ROADWAY, AND DIRECTING AN AIR BLAST UPON SAID SUSPENDED PARTICLES IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE OF SAID ROADWAY AND TOWARD THE UNOBSTRUCTED GROUND SURFACE ADJACENT ONE OF 